ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. kick — in football
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. file — a tool
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. file — a document
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com